The 'Explorer vs. Lecturer' Coaching Model

"Your job is to enable people to be their very damn best... most of management is actually exploring with someone. It is being curious." — Claire Hughes Johnson

What It Is

A feedback approach where the manager acts as a curious investigator rather than an authoritarian expert. It uses observation and questions to help the direct report self-diagnose issues.

When To Use

• During 1:1 meetings

• Performance reviews

• Debriefing after a high-stakes presentation

• When direct reports seem stuck or defensive

Explorer vs. Lecturer Comparison

Aspect ❌ Lecturer ✅ Explorer

Stance "I know the answer" "Let's figure this out together"

Method Tell them what to do Ask questions to help them see

Focus Your expertise Their blind spots

Outcome Dependency Self-awareness

Core Principles

1. Hypothesis-Based Coaching

Form a scientific hypothesis based on data/intuition (e.g., "I think you are avoiding this stakeholder").

2. Ask a Question

Open with non-threatening inquiry ("Is there something we aren't talking about here?").

3. Own the Observation

Use "I" statements to share your perception without judgment ("My experience of you in that meeting was that you seemed nervous").

4. Mirroring

Reflect physical or verbal cues back to the person (e.g., "I noticed you physically backed your chair away when we discussed this topic").

How To Apply

STEP 1: Observe └── Notice patterns, body language, inconsistencies └── Form a hypothesis (not a conclusion)

STEP 2: Open with Curiosity └── "I've noticed something and I'm curious..." └── "Can we explore [topic] together?"

STEP 3: Share Observation with "I" └── "My experience was..." └── "I felt like..." └── NOT: "You always..." or "You were..."

STEP 4: Mirror Back └── "When we talked about X, you seemed to..." └── "I noticed your voice changed when..."

STEP 5: Let Them Diagnose └── "What do you think is going on?" └── "Does that resonate with you?"

Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing "coaching" with "teaching" (telling them exactly how to do it)

❌ Using "exploring" as a way to avoid giving direct feedback when warranted

❌ Not following through after the exploration conversation

Real-World Example

Claire observing a direct report physically moving their chair away from the table during uncomfortable topics and mirroring that observation back to them to uncover the root cause.

Source: Claire Hughes Johnson, Lenny's Podcast